The lottery pay: the chance causes the disenchantment
One of the big outputs of this end of the year, Star Wars Battlefront II , envisaged a system of release of contents making use of chance inside the game. In exchange for money stumbling, players could acquire bonuses, especially in the context of multiplayer modes via the Internet, in the form of booty chests (also called " loot boxes "): the player pays for an object, without knowing which to in advance, and the gain is determined randomly, after payment. If obtaining a gain is systematic, the content of it is however random.
Although the publisher Electronics Arts has announced, under the pressure of the players, the temporary deactivation of this function, the basic problem remains intact, others applying it. Indeed, a reference to Article L. 322-2 of the Internal Security Code shows that booty boxes have the characteristics of lotteries, and as such their strict supervision is essential. Indeed, it is unacceptable for a young audience to be introduced to games of chance, when it is no longer necessary to demonstrate the harmful effects of the addiction they can provoke.
RedEye9 wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 12:36:Mr. Tact wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 08:36:At least there's hope, some governments are finally getting their shit together...jdreyer wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 03:37:I wouldn't hold my breath on governments getting their shit together...
The second scenario, however, will absolutely be classified as gambling, once governments get their shit together.
Mr. Tact wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 08:36:jdreyer wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 03:37:I wouldn't hold my breath on governments getting their shit together...
The second scenario, however, will absolutely be classified as gambling, once governments get their shit together.
jdreyer wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 03:37:Kxmode wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 22:36:jdreyer wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 04:21:Kxmode wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 03:16:MTs in and of themselves aren't a problem. Selling Lootboxes with a random chance of winning is the problem. Don't conflate the two.
If the intention is to protect children, publishers will ensure every game with a smidgen of microtransactions will be rated PEGI 18 and that may likely translate into Rated M here in the states. When the U.S. government threatened publishers with regulations, because of games like Mortal Kombat being sold for home consoles, the industry decided to self-regulate with the creation of the ESRB governing body.
With all due respect to your assessment, that's wrong too. The issue with loot crates is not the RNG factor. The real problem is that in a game like SWBF2, EA is blocking core gameplay elements behind paywalls. THAT'S the issue. Of course, EA's PR team would say the items are "optional," but they're not. For that reason, loot crates can be seen as a form of gambling because they're designed to basically force a purchase (pardon the pun) and the item received is random. Contrast with loot crates in a game like Guild Wars 2. Black Lion Chests are RNG but everything is 100% optional vanity stuff.
I'm pretty sure that the law won't see it that way. Two scenarios after buying GRiD 2:
1. I buy a full priced game and find that 80% of the cars are only available as for-sale DLC.
2. I buy a full priced game and find that 80% of the cars are only available if I buy a "shipping crate" which may or may not have a car in it.
No state or country is going to object to the first scenario, disgusting as it is. (This is the way GRiD 2 actually is)
The second scenario, however, will absolutely be classified as gambling, once governments get their shit together.
Mr. Tact wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 08:36:At least there's hope, some governments are finally getting their shit together...jdreyer wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 03:37:I wouldn't hold my breath on governments getting their shit together...
The second scenario, however, will absolutely be classified as gambling, once governments get their shit together.
jdreyer wrote on Nov 26, 2017, 03:37:I wouldn't hold my breath on governments getting their shit together...
The second scenario, however, will absolutely be classified as gambling, once governments get their shit together.
Kxmode wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 22:36:jdreyer wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 04:21:Kxmode wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 03:16:MTs in and of themselves aren't a problem. Selling Lootboxes with a random chance of winning is the problem. Don't conflate the two.
If the intention is to protect children, publishers will ensure every game with a smidgen of microtransactions will be rated PEGI 18 and that may likely translate into Rated M here in the states. When the U.S. government threatened publishers with regulations, because of games like Mortal Kombat being sold for home consoles, the industry decided to self-regulate with the creation of the ESRB governing body.
With all due respect to your assessment, that's wrong too. The issue with loot crates is not the RNG factor. The real problem is that in a game like SWBF2, EA is blocking core gameplay elements behind paywalls. THAT'S the issue. Of course, EA's PR team would say the items are "optional," but they're not. For that reason, loot crates can be seen as a form of gambling because they're designed to basically force a purchase (pardon the pun) and the item received is random. Contrast with loot crates in a game like Guild Wars 2. Black Lion Chests are RNG but everything is 100% optional vanity stuff.
Suppa7 wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 06:49:
Loot boxes are the natural progression of you people accepting mmo's and steam, as soon as people bought a server locked game it was over. The entire mission of the game industry was to take software control away from customers. That has been going on since the days of Ultima online, everquest and wow.
jdreyer wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 04:21:Kxmode wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 03:16:MTs in and of themselves aren't a problem. Selling Lootboxes with a random chance of winning is the problem. Don't conflate the two.
If the intention is to protect children, publishers will ensure every game with a smidgen of microtransactions will be rated PEGI 18 and that may likely translate into Rated M here in the states. When the U.S. government threatened publishers with regulations, because of games like Mortal Kombat being sold for home consoles, the industry decided to self-regulate with the creation of the ESRB governing body.
RedEye9 wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 09:36:Suppa7 wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 06:49:Once again, it's you peoples fault because supper@7 is purrrfect. omfg ffs
Loot boxes are the natural progression of you people accepting mmo's and steam, as soon as people bought a server locked game it was over. The entire mission of the game industry was to take software control away from customers. That has been going on since the days of Ultima online, everquest and wow.
NegaDeath wrote on Nov 24, 2017, 15:27:Video could have been a bit shorter, and should have just skipped to the Jim Sterling explanation of MT's.
Apologies if posted previously, but I just finished watching a great video on this subject and EA's role in developing the practice and thought I'd share it.
Suppa7 wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 06:49:Once again, it's you peoples fault because supper@7 is purrrfect. omfg ffs
Loot boxes are the natural progression of you people accepting mmo's and steam, as soon as people bought a server locked game it was over. The entire mission of the game industry was to take software control away from customers. That has been going on since the days of Ultima online, everquest and wow.
NegaDeath wrote on Nov 24, 2017, 15:27:
Apologies if posted previously, but I just finished watching a great video on this subject and EA's role in developing the practice and thought I'd share it.
Kxmode wrote on Nov 25, 2017, 03:16:MTs in and of themselves aren't a problem. Selling Lootboxes with a random chance of winning is the problem. Don't conflate the two.
If the intention is to protect children, publishers will ensure every game with a smidgen of microtransactions will be rated PEGI 18 and that may likely translate into Rated M here in the states. When the U.S. government threatened publishers with regulations, because of games like Mortal Kombat being sold for home consoles, the industry decided to self-regulate with the creation of the ESRB governing body.
NegaDeath wrote on Nov 24, 2017, 15:27:Interesting watch. However I think he is overly optimistic about the pending end of "Wilson loot boxes" and prediction of Andrew Wilson's departure from being CEO of EA. That said, he might be right -- I hope he is.
Apologies if posted previously, but I just finished watching a great video on this subject and EA's role in developing the practice and thought I'd share it.
jdreyer wrote on Nov 24, 2017, 17:27:NegaDeath wrote on Nov 24, 2017, 15:27:
Apologies if posted previously, but I just finished watching a great video on this subject and EA's role in developing the practice and thought I'd share it.
Great video. Here's one key from it: a game like BF1 costs 40 cents to make a dollar. With a microtransaction game, EA spends 20 cents to make a dollar. It's no wonder they canceled that single player Star Wars game.
Also, apparently EA's dev costs are $300M less than in 2009. They are spending less on development, while making more money. And the idea that MTs are needed to cover dev costs is mostly BS. Greed, indeed.
jdreyer wrote on Nov 24, 2017, 14:33:
LOL, it's a shame it took so long for this shit to come to light. One does tire of reading stories about addicted players spending $2M on a free to play game.
NegaDeath wrote on Nov 24, 2017, 15:27:
Apologies if posted previously, but I just finished watching a great video on this subject and EA's role in developing the practice and thought I'd share it.